Quebec govt. giving Lac-Megantic $60M

Quebec will provide an additional $60 million for the reconstruction and recovery of Lac-Mégantic. Minister of Municipal Affairs, Pierre Moreau, made the announcement Sunday, July 13, 2014. QMI AGENCY CAPTURE

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QMI Agency

Jul 13, 2014

, Last Updated: 3:27 PM ET

LAC-MEGANTIC, Que. -- The provincial government will give Lac-Megantic $60 million to compensate victims of the deadly train derailment and help rebuild the town's destroyed downtown core, Municipal Affairs minister Pierre Moreau announced Sunday.

One year ago, the train derailment and subsequent explosions destroyed the downtown core of the town in southeastern Quebec, killing 47 people.

Moreau said $37 million of the $60 million will be directed to rebuilding the the town's downtown core.

The rest will help compensate the victims, decontaminate the soil and revitalize the town's Fatima region.

Moreau underlined the importance of "rebuilding the quality of life for the residents of Lac-Megantic," and said he hopes people will return to the community, which has been hit hard economically since the derailment.

The $60 million is in addition to the $35 million that the government announced in December it was giving to the town.

Fire from a train explosion is seen in Lac-Megantic, Que., on July 6, 2013. (Steve Poulin/QMI Agency)